The Adventures of Elizabeth Hornsby
by tropicalgirlie
Summary: So this is a character based on myself sort of, that will be entering the world of Hogwarts.  I think the story will explain itself as it goes on, and I'm hoping that it comes out the way that I want.  Rated M for later chapters...
1. Welcome To Hogwarts

**Okay, so here we go. Not sure where this is going to end up, so please be patient. I've been reading lots of HP fanfic the last couple days, and have totally fallen in love with Snape's character. I'm beginning to see more and more dynamics and depth to his character, and my creative little mind just exploded with ideas to incorporate him into a fic. Here's hoping this turns out just slightly how I'm planning (It's amazing in my head). The main character will be a lot like me, and I really hope to bring our world and the HP world together in a very interesting way. Hopefully you like it, and if not, I'm sorry. Once I get a story in my head, I have to write it to get it out. Let me know what you think.**

"Welcome to Hogwarts, Professor Hornsby." Dumbledore was standing in the entrance to the castle to welcome his newest professor. She grinned nervously yet excitedly at the old man, shaking his hand as she reached the top of the walkway.

"Thank you Professor Dumbledore." He patted her hand with his other one, his blue eyes smiling down at her though spectacles resting low on his nose.

"Albus, please dear." He took her wheeled suitcase in his hand and let her into the castle. "The formality makes a man feel old, and I'll only allow it from students." They walked past the great hall, and she glanced in quickly; four massive tables lined the stone floor, and she could see the faculty table at the far end. Thousands of candles hung in mid air, lit and glowing above the tables. She had heard tell of the great hall from her sister, but words could not describe its splendor. Realizing that she'd dawdled longer than she should; she quickly grabbed her duffle and followed after Dumbledore.

"I trust your travels went well, Professor?" Dumbledore spoke once she caught up.

"Please, call me Elizabeth." She grinned up at the headmaster. "Everything went fine. You know, long flight across the pond, but everything went smoothly. The train ride here was lovely. England is truly beautiful."

"I must admit I've never traveled to America. What is it like where you live? Michigan, correct?" They turned a corner and went down a flight of stairs. Dumbledore muttered something softly under his breath and her suitcase levitated, floating easily through the air down towards the next floor.

"Yes, that's right. I live near the lake, which is nice. I have a small house in a small town. It's not super exciting, but it's home. My sister and I lived there our whole lives, and after our parents died, and she got her letter, it got really lonely. I moved in with a friend for several years, but finally decided to go home." They reached the bottom of the stairs and Dumbledore turned them to the left.

The corridors were now lit by torch, and Elizabeth guessed that they were underground now. It was eerie and exciting, but she did wish that her room had windows to the outside. Ah well, there would be plenty of time to get fresh air. As they turned another corner, an old witch could be seen walking towards them; briskly and sharply. Elizabeth thought to herself that this must be Professor McGonagall. Harriet, Elizabeth's older sister had told her about all of the professors at Hogwarts, and as such, she knew that this small but fierce woman with the pointy hat was none other than the Transfiguration professor.

"Ah, Minerva, please come meet our new Muggle Studies professor, Elizabeth Hornsby." McGonagall's face broke into a friendly smile that suited her nicely. Dumbledore stopped, and Elizabeth held out her hand.

"Hello, my dear. Lovely to have you at Hogwarts." McGonagall shook her hand briefly. "I'm sorry to be so quick, but I have an urgent letter I must respond to. I look forward to getting to know you." With that she rushed up the hall and towards the stairs.

They walked the rest of the way making small chit chat. Dumbledore invited Elizabeth up to his office that night for sherbet and a game or two of poker. She giggled to herself, remembering what Harriet had said about Dumbledore, and his odd tastes and goings on. She was very eager to get to know this man.

Finally they came to a stop in front of a heavy wooden door. It was nearly at the end of the hall. Elizabeth could see only one more door before the corridor ended. The walls were dark grey stone, as was the floor, and were it not for the torches hanging every few feet, it would be completely dark. Elizabeth's suitcase came to rest outside the door, and Elizabeth let her duffle drop to the cold stone floor. "Here you are my dear. I know it's not in the best of the castle's locations, but I'm afraid that these are the only quarters available." He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's perfect, Albus, thank you so much." She grinned up at him, and before she knew it she was hugging him. He let out a surprised noise, but he took her into his arms, chuckling.

"Get settled, and don't forget that dinner will be served promptly at six o'clock. All of your other packages have already been brought down. If you need anything else, make a list, and your house elf will get it for you." He grinned one last time, then with a pop, he disappeared from the spot. Elizabeth grinned to herself, then took a deep breath and pushed her door open.

**Okay, so that was short. Please also know that this story will use all of the characters from Harry Potter, but not necessarily follow the cannon of the books. For instance, Dumbledore isn't dead, and neither is Snape. No specific time frame for this story, but assume that the whole Voldemort thing, though pivotal to the books, isn't going on anymore here. We will assume (for the time being) that he was finished off when he tried to kill Harry, so, yeah. Please let me know what you think, and I'll try to update soon!**


	2. Settling in and Meeting the Staff

The view in front of Elizabeth took her breath away. The room was huge. It was more than just a room. It was a small apartment. Elizabeth didn't know that such amenities existed in the depths of the castle. There was a massive fireplace off to the left where her couch sat, her favorite afghan lying across the top. Flames burned warmly there, heating the entire room to a cozy warmth. The floor was the same cold stone as the hallway, but her plush rugs covered the floor, as well as several new ones that she'd never seen before.

The kitchen was quaint but adequate. She guessed that most teacher's quarters didn't have a kitchen, since most witches and wizards didn't do any personal cooking at Hogwarts. Elizabeth knew that since she was a muggle, her accommodations would be slightly different from the rest of the staff. She pulled her bags in and shut the door.

She walked towards the back of the apartment, finding a bathroom off the back left corner, with a luxurious old fashioned bath tub in the corner. It was pure white porcelain, with golden legs standing it up off the ground. There was a showerhead up above, and a large mirror across from the door. The floor in here was white marble, as were the walls.

Finally she entered her bedroom. An enormous four poster bed was pushed up against the wall, adorned with turquoise and green bedding, and loaded with pillows. She smiled to herself. She loved pillows. Her dresser from home was pushed against the opposite wall, as well as her desk and her computer had been set up. She chuckled to herself that such a common item as a computer looked so out of place here, but she was glad to have it. She saw a picture of her family hung on the wall, and to her astonishment there was a window above her bed. Enchanted of course but the bright sun streamed through her pale blue curtains. Finally turning around she spotted her potted palm tree had been brought here. She had no way to transport it all the way to England, and left it at home. She smiled as she looked at it. Though she was far from home, she was feeling more at home with each passing moment. She hopped up on the bed, situating herself amongst the different sized pillows, thinking back.

She remembered back when she was six years old, and Harriet had gotten her letter. Everyone was so excited for her, Elizabeth included. Elizabeth had been allowed to travel to Diagon Alley, and she longed for the day when she got her letter. She watched as Harriet got a wand, and all of her books and things for school. When they went to Platform 9 and ¾, she longed to get on the train to Hogwarts.

She felt odd at school, studying science and math while Harriet was learning how to be a witch. Elizabeth felt out of place, keeping such a secret as the wizarding world from her friends and teachers. One year passed, and then a second, and then a third, and when Elizabeth was nine, she checked the mail every day in the summer, looking for her letter from Hogwarts. Finally, in late July, Harriet's book list came, along with everything she would need to buy for next term. Elizabeth tore through the rest of the mail, but no letter. Every day she checked, and every day there was nothing. Finally, once school had started and Harriet was off at Hogwarts once again, Elizabeth's heart broke in a desperate realization. She would never get a letter. She wasn't special. She wasn't a witch.

A light popping noise in the living room brought her out of the past and back to herself. Curious at the noise, she got up off the bed and went into the living room to inspect. When she entered, she saw immediately what had caused the noise. A tiny house elf stood in the middle of the room, her pointy ears sticking straight up, her large eyes a sparkling blue, and a glittery pink tutu adorning her small body. "Good morning, Professor Hornsby. My name is Judy. I'm your house elf." Her voice was high and squeaky, but she was absolutely adorable.

"Hi Judy!" Elizabeth pulled a hair tie our of her jeans pocket and secured her wavy brown hair into a low ponytail as she headed towards some of her boxes. "Please call me Elizabeth, or Lizzy if you want." Judy squeaked sharply, then followed Elizabeth over to the boxes.

"Can Judy help unpack your things?" A small smile played at her thin lips, her bulbous eyes glittering with happiness.

"Oh, that's alright. I can manage." The disappointment in the eyes of the small creature didn't go unnoticed to Elizabeth, and she remembered herself. House elves liked to help people. At least the ones at Hogwarts did. "Well actually, if you could unpack my kitchen things, that would help me a lot. I'm going to unpack my clothes, alright?"

Judy gave a squeal of excitement and began opening boxes, sorting plates from cups from silverware. Elizabeth grinned to herself as she pulled her bags into her bedroom.

She tossed her messenger bag on the bed, then went back to retrieve several boxes of her personal items. Firstly she pulled out her small stereo and set it up on the dressed, plugging in her iPhone and setting her room full of music. John Mayer's voice filled the room as she started unpacking. When she opened her large wardrobe, she saw that her teaching robes had already been brought up, and she took a moment to look them over. There was a traveling cloak that was a beautiful dark brown, trimmed on the inside in the same shade of blue as her bedding. It reminded her of the ocean in the Caribbean, her favorite color. Several pairs of standard black dress shoes sat in the bottom. Her teaching robes were simple, black cloaks to wear over her clothes. There were several sweaters and shirts with the Hogwards logo printed in gold ink on them. She began to hang t-shirts, sweatshirts and several dresses, humming along with the music, which had changed to Jack Johnson. She heard cupboards opening and closing in the kitchen and smiled to herself. She already had a friend in Judy, she could tell, and she looked forward to getting to know the little elf better.

She put all of her toiletries in the bathroom, then began unpacking nicnacs, personal things from home that made her quarters here more homey. Several coconut scented candles, which she set about the room after lighting them, instantly made the room smell of the tropics, and it was extremely comforting. When the music changed to Foreigner, Elizabeth turned up the volume and soon her small apartment was filled with the sounds of Hot Blooded. She began to sing along with the tune, playing air guitar. It wasn't long before Judy came in, curious at the music.

"Judy, come dance with me." Elizabeth grinned as the elf made her way over to her master hesitantly, and took her hand. Elizabeth pulled them up on the bed, jumping up and down, laughing as the guitar riffs controlled their actions. Judy giggled in a high pitched way, and Elizabeth laughed louder. They spun in a circle as they jumped, and though Judy didn't know the words, she sang along with the tune, terribly off key. It made Elizabeth smile.

"What the bloody hell is going on in here?" A low voice boomed from the doorway, and it caused Elizabeth to lose her balance, falling first onto the mattress then sliding to the floor. A terrified look came over Judy's face and with a pop she vanished. Elizabeth quickly stood up and turned her music off, then turned to face the man standing in her doorway.

He had shoulder length jet black hair, black eyes, and a sneer on his pale face. He wore a billowing black cloak over a black suit of some kind, and black boots completed the outfit. His arms were crossed sharply across his chest. She came around her bed to stand in front of the man that towered at least a food above her.

"Judy and I were just dancing while I unpacked." She took a breath, calming her beating heart. "My name is Elizabeth. I'm the new Muggle Studies professor." She held her hand out. The man looked at it, but made no move to shake it. She had a good feeling she knew who this man was; her sister's least favorite professor, Severus Snape. "Can I help you with something, sir?"

He eyed her up and down, and a funny feeling fluttered through her stomach. "The whole bloody dungeon must have heard your…music." He leered at her, "I came to ask you to turn it off. I can hear it in my chambers."

"I'm sorry, sir. You could have knocked. I didn't know the sound would travel through the stone like that."

"I did knock, but apparently your hearing has been affected by that noise." He turned on his heel to leave, but Elizabeth decided to see how far she could push him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name. I assume you're a professor here. Is that your quarters, next to mine?" He spun again to face her, tipping his head to make sure his dominance was known to her.

"Severus Snape, Potion's master." His nose twitched as he caught the scent of her candles and his brow furrowed. "Yes, I reside next door, and I like my peace and quiet. I'd appreciate it if you respect that." And he turned again, slamming the door behind him. Elizabeth jumped as another pop sounded and Judy appeared next to her, her eyes watery and her brow lined with worry.

"He's a mean one, that Professor Snape. You be careful around him miss Lizzy." Judy looked up and Elizabeth patted her head.

Elizabeth grinned to herself, then headed towards the door. Judy squeaked and tried to grab her hand, but Elizabeth was already out the door. She walked the fifteen or so paces to Snape's door and knocked lightly. She heard muffled footsteps, then several locks clicking and the door opened to reveal Snape to her once again. His sneer seemed to deepen when he saw who was at his door.

"Do you need something, Professor?" He looked down his nose at her, his black eyes questioning.

"Please, call my Elizabeth, or Lizzy." He scoffed at her.

"Please make your intentions known, Professor, for I have things to do." He leaned against the door frame, blocking her view of his room.

"Please, Severus, I feel that we got off on the wrong foot, and I wondered if I might make it up to you?" She tipped her head to the side, trying to give him a charming smile, but he seemed unmoved.

"You are a muggle, correct?" His eyes narrowed to snake-like slits. His voice was like honey laced with razorblades. Elizabeth couldn't tell if the hairs on the back of her neck stood up because his voice excited her or terrified her. Either way she'd never met such an intriguing man.

"Yes sir."

"And American?"

She nodded.

"And what use could a wizard such as myself have with an American muggle?" His arms tightened around himself. He expected her to be frightened off; since that is usually what happened when people met him. He was surprised, however, when she grinned and took a step towards him.

"Well I'm new here, and have only met Albus, and Minerva for about a second. I thought maybe we could get to know each other. I don't really know anyone else. Perhaps we could have drinks this weekend or something." Before Snape could answer, she turned to head back to her room. "Think about it, and let me know. Sorry about my music. I'll keep it lower." And with that she left Snape standing there, and entered her own dwelling once again.

It was just after five thirty when Elizabeth pulled on the black cloak that hung in her wardrobe. It hung perfectly on her, just touching the ground. She pulled on a pair of the dress shoes, then glanced at herself in the mirror. She could almost pass for a witch, except for that she had no wand and no magical powers to speak of. She blew out the candles then headed for the door, excitement fluttering in her stomach. "Judy?" She spoke and no more than took a breath and the house elf appeared, a grin on her face.

"Yes, miss Lizzy?"

"I'm going to Professor Dumbledore's office after dinner, so I will probably be back late. I was wondering if you could do me a favor while I'm gone?"

"Oh, anything, just you name it!" Judy was happy to have a task, and was almost quaking with excitement.

"I unpacked some white Christmas lights. They are in my room. Could you string them up around while I'm gone? The ceilings are too tall for me, and I don't have a ladder, and since I can't do magic…"

Judy squeaked exuberantly, "Oh yes, Miss Lizzy, I'll have it done. It will be beautiful when you get back, just you wait. Judy will get it done for you!" She ran off into the bedroom, and with a chuckle to herself, Elizabeth turned and closed the door behind herself and headed towards the stairs.

She remembered her way back to the great hall, though it wouldn't have mattered. The smells coming from the large room were making her stomach rumble. She realized she hadn't eaten since the train that morning, and that was a muffin and milk. She entered the great hall, which was mostly already filled with teachers. She didn't really know where to sit, and not wanting to step on any toes, she took a seat at the very end of the table. Dumbledore nodded to her, giving her a wink. Minerva sat to Dumbledore's immediate right, and another woman who could only be Professor Sprout sat next to her. The mountain that could only be Hagrid sat next to Dumbledore on the other side, and then several other professors that Elizabeth didn't recognize. She was a jumble of nerves and excitement as more professors streamed in. Several she recognized and many she didn't. She couldn't believe that she was sitting among them, her, a muggle.

She remembered back to when she finally made peace with the fact that she was not a witch. She had been heartbroken; being exposed to such an amazing world, then being told she wasn't allowed to be a part of it. Harriet had felt awful, but Elizabeth knew it wasn't her fault. It had taken a good year, but before they died, Elizabeth's parents had helped her through it. They made her realize that she was unique just the way she was, that though she wasn't a witch, that didn't mean that she wasn't special. It had been hard, but Liz had worked through it.

Then she had gotten a letter from Professor Dumbledore this past spring, wondering if she would like to take up residence at Hogwarts and teach Muggle Studies. She had nearly jumped through the roof when she checked the mail that day. She recognized the scrawling handwriting instantly; she'd memorized it years earlier. She tore it open, and read it at least three times before she could even comprehend the words. She didn't realize how much she had suppressed the desire to be part of that world, and it seemed interesting that she would get to teach witches and wizards about her life, and the life of others like her. She knew that her class was an elective, so she didn't know the number of students she'd be teaching, but she instantly scribbled her reply of yes, then called her sister.

And now here she was, sitting at the staff table of Hogwarts, where she would be eating every day. She was at the castle she had so longed to be at, in the world that she desperately wanted to be a part of. It was amazing how things turn out, especially how you least expect it.

The chairs were quickly filling up now, but no one seemed to take the seat directly to her left. She wasn't offended at all; she was the odd woman out in this situation, but was just excited to be here.

She took a sip of water out of the goblet in front of her; it was ice cold though there were no ice cubes, nor sweat on the glass. Magic, what an amazing thing. The buzzing of chatter in the room grew louder and louder, but suddenly she heard a sound that was familiar. The sound of loud boots thudding on the stone floor. She glanced up to see Severus Snape walking towards the faculty table, his black cloak billowing behind him once again.

She chanced a glance down the table and saw that the chair next to her was the only empty one. Snape seemed to realize that too, and he turned in her direction. He stepped up to the table and pulled out the chair next to her. "Good evening, Severus." She said sweetly. He nodded in her direction, making some type of sound of acknowledgement, then turned his head to face forward. Lizzy giggled to herself.

Just then Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Good evening, friends and fellow professors. Welcome to another year at Hogwarts." Everyone grinned, smiling around at all of their fellow staff members. Several curious eyes fell on Elizabeth. She tried to ignore them, turning her fierce brown eyes to Dumbledore. "I'm sure everyone is aware that we have a new face among us. He turned finally to Elizabeth and with a nod and a wink, he continued, "I would like everyone to meet our new Professor of Muggle Studies, Miss Elizabeth Hornsby." He stood up and clapped, smiling down the line of professors at her. All of the staff gave her warm smiles, clapping along with the headmaster. A warming sensation went through her as she was being welcomed into the fold. Even Snape gave several seconds applause before becoming silent once again. She wasn't sure, but it looked as if the corner of his lip twitched ever so slightly.

Dumbledore went around the table, introducing everyone, listing their name and subject. He came to back to Elizabeth, and the twinkle grew in his eye, as if he kept a secret that he was itching to share.

"I must admit that the case of Elizabeth is quite a unique one. Some of you know, but some of you do not, that Elizabeth here, is a muggle." Violent whispers were passed back and forth, and Elizabeth herself was stunned. She didn't realize that being a muggle professor of Muggle Studies was that big of a deal. She glanced up at Snape, who seemed to be chewing on the inside of his cheek, then back to Dumbledore, waiting for some explanation. "I know this may come as a bit of a surprise to many of you. I have decided, after many years…to try something new. I have therefore decided to take on Professor Hornsby as the first ever muggle professor at Hogwarts." All eyes fell on Elizabeth, and she grinned nervously, letting a chuckle of a cough escape her lips. "Elizabeth, would you care to introduce yourself to everyone? I'm sure you can do a much better job than me." He grinned at her, and it gave her the courage to stand up in front of everyone's curious eyes.

"Um, okay. Hi, I'm Elizabeth. Call me Liz or Lizzy." She tucked a stray strand of her wavy hair behind her ear, trying to hide her nervousness. "Um, as you can probably tell, I'm American, and as you all know now, I'm a muggle; which seems to be a rarity here, I'm learning.

"Most of you probably know my sister, Harriet Hornsby. She graduated from Hogwarts several years ago." Several murmurs of acknowledgement began to flow through the staff. She could see their faces change in recognition. At first glance no one ever realized that she and Harriet were sisters. Harriet sported pale, short blonde hair and sharp, knowing blue/grey eyes. Lizzy's eyes were brown and warm, matching her wavy hair that fell almost to her elbows. Their voices were different, but they had the same nose and same smile. "Um, I went to a muggle college in Michigan and graduated two years ago with a degree in Forensic Science." Several of the staff member's faces screwed up in confusion, and she decided that she didn't need to elaborate. "I got a letter from Dumbledore several months back requesting my presence here, so…here I am." She didn't know really what else to say, so she grinned one more time and sat down. She caught Snape's eye roll as she did so. Dumbledore stood up again, making a few more announcements about the upcoming start of term, three days from tonight. Finally, to another round of applause, he sat down. As he did so, all of the lids disappeared from the dishes in front of them, revealing loads of the most wonderful smelling food Liz had ever seen. With that, all conversation momentarily ceased as everyone loaded their plates and began eating.

Liz was just changing into a pair of pink yoga capris and a white sweater when there was a knock at her door. Not wanting to be late to meet Dumbledore for their evening of cards, she quickly went to the door, pulling it open to see the last person she expected.

Severus Snape stood at the door, an odd expression on his face and his hands behind his back. She had the funny suspicion that he was hiding something. "Hey, Severus, what can I do for you?" His nose wrinkled at her slang, but he answered none the less.

"I'm here, I apologize, to convey a message from the headmaster. He had sudden business to attend to in London and had to away immediately. He apologizes and requests 'rain check' as you would put it, for tomorrow." She grinned at his use of American terms, and gauged his expression as best she could.

"Oh, thanks for the message, Severus." She waited for him to turn to go, expecting him to dart away immediately. She was surprised however, when he drew breath to speak again.

"You're an odd girl, and a muggle American and of no use to me what…so…ever." He took a deep breath and pulled his hands out from behind his back, revealing a bottle that Elizabeth recognized; Firewhiskey. Harriet had smuggled some home one year from Hogsmead. Elizabeth had been too scared to try it. "However, Hogwarts has a long tradition of welcoming and hospitality when it comes to new professors, and I wouldn't want that legacy to come to an end on my watch. I would," he seemed to struggle to say the words, "hate…for you to spend your first evening at Hogwarts alone."

She raised an eyebrow at him, but moved away from the door so he could enter. Closing the solid oak behind him, she turned to gauge his expression at her quarters. She stifled a giggle as he looked around the main room.

Judy had done an amazing job with her lights. They were strung around the whole of the kitchen and living room and emitted a rosy glow. Liz noticed that that Judy had magically created more bulbs per strand and turned them into icicle lights, so they glowed even brighter. She almost didn't even need any other lights on. A happy feeling went through her as she looked at them, and they seemed to turn a tint of blue white. Snape entered the kitchen, setting the bottle down next to her small refrigerator.

"So this, I take it, is what a muggle dwelling looks like?" He glanced around at Lizzy's tropical décor, the candles spread around everywhere, and the bamboo beaded curtain that hung across her bedroom door. Liz noticed that Judy extended that as well, since it was made for a standard sized door, and her bedroom door here was twice as wide and twice as tall as was normal. She walked past him as he glanced around with a genuinely curious look on his face and pulled two tumblers down from her cupboard. She unscrewed the lid, pouring generous amounts in both glasses. She kicked off her flip flops, padding barefoot over to where Snape was staring at her laptop. She grinned to herself; she could practically hear the gears turning in his head as he tried to figure out all of her 'muggle-ness.'

"Yep, just like it. Except for no windows. I wish I had a window." She spoke, bringing him out of his revelry. He turned and she handed him a glass. "It was nice of you to bring the Fire Whiskey." She grinned, looking up at him. She didn't realize how much taller he was than her five foot eight inch frame.

"A selfish act, I assure you. I couldn't stand the thought of any of the libations you might offer." He gave a sneer, but she didn't buy it. Harriet had always said that he was so evil, but she could tell that it was just a cover. Him visiting her tonight proved just that.

"Oh, sure." She didn't believe a word, but she appreciated the gesture none the less. "Cheers." They clinked glasses and both downed their drinks in one large swallow. Snape closed his eyes for a moment while the liquid fire burned down his throat. Liz, on the other hand, coughed and sputtered as her throat became raw. When she was finally able to draw breath, she could actually taste the liquor. It had a spicy, almost cinnamon flavor, and after the initial shock of the burn, it actually tasted quite good. "Damn, that's good stuff Severus. Again?" He nodded actually looking amused at her as she took his glass and hers back to the kitchen to fill them again. "Please have a seat; make yourself comfortable." She eyed him as he went into her living room, settling himself down against the right arm of her couch. It was old and some of the springs were out of wack, but in her opinion it only made it more comfortable. She grabbed the two glasses and the bottle and joined him, sitting on the left side, tucking her feet up under her and facing him. She handed him his glass. This time he only took a sip, then set it down on her old coffee table. "My sister loves Fire Whiskey. She smuggled some home one year, but I was too scared to try it." She took another sip, stifling her reaction this time to the molten liquid.

"Ah, yes, I remember her. Quite the rambunctious girl as I recall. She was one of several American witches we invited to Hogwarts that year. She was a bright pupil." His eyes became unfocused as he thought back. Harriet hadn't been at Hogwarts for quite a few years.

"Yeah she got the beauty and the brains between the two of us; I mean with her blonde hair and blue eyes. She was always writing home about boys chasing after her. I was so jealous." Now it was Elizabeth's turn to remember back. "But my dad told me that I got the sense of humor and the kind heart, so I guess that counts for something, huh?" She glanced over at Snape, who was looking at her in a calculating way. She couldn't read his expression, but it seemed as though he was…checking her out? No that couldn't be it. She furrowed her brow, and it seemed to bring him out of his reverie.

"You talk more than she did." He said it cooly, downing the rest of his whiskey and filling his own glass again. Getting slightly irritated, Liz choked down her nearly full glass quickly and setting it down loudly on the coffee table. She could already feel it's affect on her. Damn, this was powerful stuff.

"Well, I'm sorry. You're the one who came over here, remember? I mean if you want to just sit and drink and not talk, I've got more un packing to do, so, it's your call." She didn't know why she burst into such sudden anger, but she couldn't help it.

"My apologies, professor." He finished his third glass in one more graceful swallow and set the glass down. "It appears as I've worn out my welcome. I shall leave you to it." He stood up, taking the half empty bottle of Fire Whiskey with him as he headed towards the door. "I hope you have a pleasant evening."

She watched his billowing robes follow him out the door as it closed behind him. She stood, flabbergasted, wondering what just happened, but she suddenly felt dizzy from all the whiskey. She took the glasses to her sink and then headed back to her bedroom, with no desire to unpack; she fell into bed and quickly asleep.


	3. Exploring

Friday morning, or rather, early afternoon four Elizabeth stumbling out of bed with the worst headache she'd ever had after a night of drinking. And it wasn't even that much drinking. She was a girl who could hold her liquor, putting away margaritas like they were glasses of soda, but that Fire Whiskey had left her parched and wrung out. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought that Snape had done something to it to make it more potent. She would have believed it if he wasn't drinking out of the same bottle as her.

She stumbled into her shower and stood under the warm spray for several minutes before moving to wash her hair. Her head pounded and she took her shower slowly, hoping that the hot water and steam would relieve some of her tension. She'd have to find out where that whiskey was made, or with what distilling process. Shaking her head, and then regretting it, she turned off the water and slowly dried off and got dressed.

Glancing at the clock in her bedroom she saw that it was after eleven in the morning. So she'd missed breakfast with the staff. That was just great. She vowed to never drink 'wizard' alcohol with such reckless abandon ever again.

She made her way out of her bedroom and into the kitchen to make some toast, and her headache immediately intensified as the brightness of the twinkle lights in her living room hit her. She winced, squinting, but the lights immediately dimmed. Interesting. She watched them for a moment, but they remained subdued.

After her breakfast of toast and lots of water, she decided to go out exploring the castle. As she approached the door to pull on her tennis shoes, she saw a small piece of parchment and a vial of some rust colored liquid had been slipped under her door. Picking them both up, she flipped over the parchment, seeing slanting and cramped, but neat handwriting.

Professor Hornsby,

I do believe you could use this elixir to cure what I'm sure is quite a headache. Only an American _muggle_ would drink so much Fire Whiskey without first building up a tolerance. Perhaps you'll remember for the future.

S

She read the note twice, sneering at his tone. She could practically hear his sarcastic voice speaking the words. Next she looked at the small vial in her other hand. It was the color of rusty water, but it felt warm in her hand. Deciding to trust the elusive man, she unstopped the vial and shot back the liquid. It tasted of honey and mint and something sweet that she couldn't identify. Almost immediately her headache subdued and her eyes became less sensitive. There was still a dull throb at the back of her skull, but it was tolerable. Realizing now that she was sort of indebted to Snape, she grimaced, but set the vial and the note on her counter, she headed out her door and into the hall of the lower dungeons.

She made her way up to the great hall. It was empty, and she took a moment to watch the sunny sky that floated high in the ceiling. There wasn't a cloud to be seen, so instead of exploring the castle she'd explore the grounds outside.

"Ooooooooh, who is the newbie widdle lady?" She heard a high pitched nasally voice from up above her and she ducked just in time to miss Peeves soar towards her head. Harriet had told her all about Peeves and how annoying he was. It was obviously the case, since he dropped a water balloon that narrowly missed hitting her.

"Good morning, Peeves. How are you doing this fine day?" She decided to be nice to him and see what would happen.

"Ickle muggle talking to Peevesy?" He looked doubtful, as if he hadn't heard correctly.

"Yes, I am. I think we can be friends, and just so you know, I am a professor here, _and_ just so you know, I've already met the Bloody Baron, and we got on just fine. If you try to drop another balloon on my head, I'll have no choice but to let him know." Peeve's pale face went even paler and he jerked away from her into the air. Liz had made up the fact that she'd already met the Bloody Baron, but Harriet had told her how much he frightened Peeves. He stuck out his tongue, spitting a raspberry at her and zoomed off towards the main staircase.

Grinning to herself, she turned away from the great hall and walked towards the front doors.

She spent most of the early afternoon walking around the lake. The late summer air was warm, and she was glad she had chosen shorts and a tank top, because the uneven terrain was causing her to break out in a sweat. She could see the Quiddich pitch in the distance and she couldn't wait to see her first match. She'd heard all about it from Harriet, but stories could not do the sport justice.

Halfway around the lake was a large area covered with enormous boulders. She decided to climb up on one and rest for a bit. Glancing at her watch she realized it was past two o'clock. She'd missed lunch with the staff as well. She wondered what they all must think of her. Making a mental note to not miss dinner, she lay back on one of the boulders, looking up at the bright blue sky. Something large flew overhead, making a prehistoric screeching sound as it flew over the forbidden forest, diving suddenly below the line of tree tops.

Liz sat up, looking for more, but instead spotted someone that she knew must be Hagrid. He was walking slowly along the shore of the lake, a crossbow in one hand and an abnormally large pheasant in the other. She jumped down from the boulder and made her way towards him. He stopped several yards away from her. "You got ter be a Hornsby." His voice was loud, escaping through his shaggy beard and mustache.

"I am. I'm Harriet's younger sister, Elizabeth." She held out her hand, then pulled it back realizing that his hands were full. "How could you tell?" Elizabeth started walking in the direction that Hagrid had been headed, and he followed. She could see his small cabin just peaking through the trees at the other end of the lake.

"Yer smile, o'course! You can't hide summat like that." He grinned down at her. "But ain't ye a muggle?" She liked that he was so honest. Most magical people looked at her like they wanted to pretend she wasn't there, Hogwarts faculty excluded.

"I am. Professor Dumbledore has invited me to fill the Muggle Studies position." She had to walk quickly to keep up with his long strides.

"An' about time too. I bin tellin' Dumbledore fer years that a muggle should have that spot." He stopped and looked down at her. "Do ye mind if I sit in on a lesson or two?"

Lizzy was stricken. "Uh, no, that would be fine." She grinned to herself, the familiar butterflies of anticipation fluttering through her stomach. She couldn't believe that term started in three days!

After lunch and a long conversation with Hagrid, Liz made her way back towards the castle. Hagrid had offered her rock cakes, and after one bite and a nearly broken tooth later, she decided they weren't for her. He made stew out of the pheasant he shot, and it was delicious. After accepting an invitation to go hunting with him the following weekend, she decided to take her leave.

It was really getting hot out, and the sun was still high in the sky for this late in the summer. Suddenly having a great idea, and sprinted down to her room, put her bikini on under her shorts and tank top and made her way up to the astronomy tower.

Just as she suspected, the huge balcony was deserted. She had hoped that she would be able to get a couple good hours of sun soaking in before dinner, and it looked like she was going to get her wish.

She brought a towel with her, and unrolling it she popped in her ear buds and was soon listening to Jimmy Buffett wasting away again in Margaritaville. She suddenly had to chuckle to herself. Here she was, laying in the sun in the Astronomy tower of a Castle in England that taught magic to witches and wizards, listening to Jimmy Buffett. If only her friends could see her now.

They all thought she was going to Oxford to get a Masters in Criminology. As amazing as that would be, she had to admit to herself that this was even better. She sighed, closing her eyes as the sun shone down on her.

She drifted in and out of sleep as song after song played. She didn't know how much time had passed, but suddenly a shadow fell across her body, chilling her slightly sunburned skin. Opening her eyes, expecting to see clouds building as evening approached, she was surprised to see Severus Snape standing over her.

It was odd to see such a dark figure surrounded by a halo of light. His black hair hung around his face, his black eyes even darker with the sun behind him. His eyes were sweeping up and down her body, and another shiver went thought her that had nothing to do with being out of the sun. "Professor, please be aware that I do not have any sunburn relief potion in my stores, so please don't come to me when you skin is blistering." His deep voice slid through the air to her ears, and she quickly grabbed her iPod and stood up.

"Uh, thanks. Oh, and thanks for the hangover potion this morning. It was wonderful." She grinned, pulling the towel around herself. "What brings you up to the Astronomy Tower?" She wrapped the headphones around her iPod and stuck the whole thing in her pocket.

"I enjoy the solidarity that comes with the Astronomy tower during the day…or at least I did." He crossed his arms in front of his chest, glaring down at her, though the fire in his eyes didn't seem angry…

"Oh, well don't let me stop you, Severus. I can find a new spot to lie out." He eyed her for a moment, then without another word, he turned on his heal and walked back into the tower and down the spiral stairs.


End file.
